Alum equipped to lead with 'no playbook'

The Norcross, Georgia, native has proceeded to move across multiple disciplines in a career path that included six years as a teacher or principal, education technology roles, a stint at Facebook, and serving as founder and executive coach for Thrive Collaborative.

Richardson is also now the senior vice president for Career Accelerator and Alumni Relations for Per Scholas, a nonprofit that provides free technology training to equip the workforce. He would be the first to say his career path has taken some unexpected turns, but his steadiness has paid off.

"I built a reputation of someone who would work hard and someone people could count on," he said. "That's how you get a musician leading in this technology space."

He attributes much of that spirit to his time in the Corps of Cadets, an organization that offered "no way to escape hard work." The discipline and accountability he gained in that context continues to inform how he leads teams and navigates ambiguity in his current role.

"I don't know if I would be as confident as I am in the unknown if I had gone anywhere else," Richardson said. "I have gotten comfortable in a world where there is no playbook. People are looking for someone to take the lead."

Taking this approach, his career has often put him in roles where he was able to build things from the ground up.

"Across these experiences, I've consistently been drawn to building new functions, developing people and creating opportunities where a clear path doesn't yet exist," Richardson said.

Richardson has stayed connected with his alma mater, as he served on the board of the UNG Alumni Association and was a 20 Under 40 honoree in 2024.

In addition to his career roles, Richardson earned a master's degree in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. He considered also pursuing his doctoral degree from the Ivy League school, but he instead recently returned to UNG to pursue his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in higher education leadership and practice. Richardson is also working as a graduate assistant for Dr. Lindsay Linsky, the initial director of UNG's recently launched Institute for a Future Ready Workforce.

"I know at North Georgia I'm going to be part of a community where people know who I am," Richardson said. "The proof is in the pudding. Everything I expected to get, I'm getting it right now. UNG has been more than where I earned my undergraduate degree; it has remained a community that continues to invest in me. Returning for my doctorate and serving as a graduate assistant with the Institute for a Future Ready Workforce demonstrate how that relationship has evolved over time."